British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that the war in Ukraine may not end quickly given the stiff resistance facing Russian military operations.
Johnson hinted that the war might not end until the end of 2023, more than a year and a half away.
Asked if he agreed with intelligence estimates that the fighting could continue until the end of next year, he told reporters in New Delhi, where he is visiting India: “Unfortunately, this is a real possibility.”
He pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin made a “serious mistake” when he ordered the outbreak of hostilities on February 24.
“The only option left to him (Putin) is to continue using his horrendous tactics,” Johnson added.
He praised what he called “Ukrainian resistance” and talked about planned and potential military support for Ukraine and its neighbors.
Johnson said “realistic” negotiations to end the conflict “does not seem likely at the moment” but that Europe and Ukraine will eventually have to discuss future security arrangements.
“What Ukrainians want and I think they will get is a set of security guarantees from countries that think like Ukraine, security guarantees about what we can do to support them,” he said.
He added that the support could include the provision of weapons, training and intelligence sharing so that Ukraine can prevent future Russian attacks.
